A Diamond in the rough
by LittleFlowerLei
Summary: Iroh hires a female clown named Diamond to entertain the crew.But she isn't a clown you would see at the circus. Count on that. Chapter 4 up! No Flames Please.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar:The last airbender. Plain and simple**

"Zuko, I was meaning to discuss something with you." Iroh approached his nephew one afternoon when the wind was soft; and the sea was smooth. "It's about...music night."

"Are you_ finally _going to cancel it?" Zuko asked in anger. But Iroh shook his head. "Then what else is there to discuss?"

"The entertainment Zuko. Our ship is lacking in it. The men and I all discussed; we would like to hire someone on the next island to perform for us."

"Don't you get enjoyment out of performing for each other?" Iroh shook his head.

"No. Sadly; the crew is lacking in talent, and would enjoy to have someone with actual talent perform." Zuko growled. "Perhaps, if we had some one that was actually good, you'd like to join us."

"I wouldn't join you anyway." Zuko hissed. "The entire thing is stupid."

"Well. Were going to hire someone, if you'd like some say in it you may help judge." Iroh turned his back to his nephew and went to tell the crew.

* * *

They stopped on a tiny island in the earth kingdom, and people came to get the job. But they weren't too good at it. That is; untill a young lady carrying a large, ring-shaped weapon wearing a clown hat (The kind that go around the chin and dangle at the top with tiny bells) which was purple on one side, and blue on the other side. Her top was a purple tank top, while her skirt was very short; and was purple and blue. Her shoes were purple and blue as well; but when they saw a few strands of hair fall infrount of her crystal blue eyes; they saw she was a red-head.

"Hi!" She greeted cheerfully. Smiling at them warmly. "I'm ready to have my interview. Um..would you mind-?" She handed them a sheet of paper that had a few notes on it. Iroh nodded and the crew members began to play the song on the sheet. It was the beginning melody to 'Butterfly' (a song on DDR.) "Ay, iyaiyai, Ay, iyaiyai A-a-a iyaiyai, Where's my samurai

I've been searching for a man

All across Japan Just to find,

to find my samurai

Someone who is strong But still a little shy

Yes I need, I need my samurai!" When that set of Lyrics ended; the melody picked up a lot; she threw her ring shaped weapon in to the air, jumped, hugged her knees to her chest and rolled right through the hole, and landed on her feet. She caught it before it hit the ground and kept up her routine. "Ay, ay, ay, I'm your little butterfly,Green, black and blue, Make the colors in the sky, Ay, ay, ay, I'm your little butterfly Green, black and blue, Make the colors in the sky .I've been searching in the woods And high upon the hills Just to find, to find my samurai"Zuko had to admit; she had a taste for showmanship.She threw her weapon around, rolling in it and twirling it around her arm. "Someone who won't regret To keep me in his net,Yes I need, I need my samurai Ay, ay, ay, I'm your little butterfly.Green, black and blue, Make the colors in the sky,Ay, ay, ay, I'm your little butterfly Green, black and blue, Make the colors in the sky, Ay, iyaiyai, Ay, iyaiyai A-a-a iyaiyai, Where's my samurai Ay, iyaiyai, Ay, iyaiyai A-a-a iyaiyai, Where's my samurai?" She moved around with artistic form, using her weapon as a tool. Not only that; but she was attractive. What do army guys like more than watching a woman in a short skirt do cartwheels, and artistic moves? Nothing I'll tell you that! Iroh stood up and claped at the end of her number, as did the rest of the judges, except Zuko. He just sat there; not careing one bit.

"Congratulations!" Iroh told her smiling. "The entertainment job is yours! Tell us your name young lady!"

"Diamond." She told them smiling.

"Diamond? Such a safisticated name! Welcome aboard Diamond!"

* * *

That night was the first music night that Diamond would perform. It had always been her dream to perform for a crowed. She walked down the hall happily; but noticed Zuko's door was open, she walked in and looked around; it was such a dark...gloomy...depressing room. She sat on his bed and staired around the room, her room back on the island had flowers in it that brought light into the room, which was another thing; his room didn't have any light but his candles. _How can someone live like this...?_ She felt depression and sympathy for Zuko swim over her. Maybe..she'd be able to make him happier, by making his room happier. She spotted Iroh walked across the hall, and called for him. When he entered the room with her, she began asking questions.

"Why is Zuko's room so dark?" She asked Iroh. He shrugged.

"Zuko is like that. He likes his room dark so he can meditate."

"He doesn't look much older than me." She told him. "but he acts like he is a thirty year old man."

"He has a tendency to do that."

"I don't want him angry with me. Does he not like me? He didn't sound too happy when you gave me the job."

"Don't worry too much. He will grow to accept you sooner or later." Diamond sat on Zuko's bed, but a happy smile brushed across her face, lifting her sorrow for him.

"I know what I'll do." She had a tone to her voice that would let everyone know she was planning something. She skipped out happily; Iroh stood there, watching her walk off; and wondering what she had on her mind. Zuko was standing on deck looking for the avatar, and was interrupted by Iroh.

"Please join us for Music night Zuko. It's Diamond's first performance and she thinks you don't like her."

"I don't." He told Iroh bluntly.

"Zuko, please learn to. Please don't make her feel bad. Please join us for Music Night. You are far too young to be so angry and depressed all the time. Your not much older than Diamond and she-"

"She doesn't have a care in the world!" Zuko yelled at Iroh. "She hasn't seen the hell I have! if she has, she wouldn't be so happy all the time!"

"You can't blame her for living!" Iroh snapped back. Completely against his personality but Zuko crossed the line. "Maybe she has seen hell, but maybe she knows how to put the past behind her and move on! She told me how worried she was about you. She was worried that you weren't acting your age, she worried you weren't living enough. She worried that you didn't like her! You've been pushing away everything since you've been banished Zuko. You could learn a thing or two about living from her." Iroh stormed away from his nephew; leaving him dumbfounded. His uncle had just..scolded him! he hardly ever scolded him, and yet. He did.

**

* * *

OK, Iroh might be OOC but oh well. I got the character Idea from a character I created on Soul Calibur III which is a total-ass kickin' game! Woo! and the song Butterfly is from a DanceDance Revolution game. I don't know which one but I'm sure BrokenxStars has it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar:The last airbender. Plain and simple**

Zuko lie in his room, debating weither or not to show for music night or not. It had never been a big deal before weither he showed up or not; but when he saw Diamond walk by, she stopped at his door and asked how he was feeling.

"Fine." He had answerd.

"Good. Are you coming tonight? It'd be really good for you to get out of this depressing room." She had been given her own room on the ship, not far from Zuko's.

"I'll think about it." Diamond nodded; but before she left; she turned and said

"I hope you come." and left. So there he lay, waiting for the decision to come to him. Would he go and watch the show for once? Or would he sit in his dark room? He could hear her warming up her voice in the room next to him, which was her own; and decided he might as well go. Wasn't anything better to do that night anyway.

* * *

Diamond took center stage, and scanned the room for Zuko to appear. It wasn't that she liked him, but she was worried about him. He wasn't getting out and having the fun a teenage boy should be having at his age. She scanned one more time as the music began, and she spotted his scar, sitting next to Iroh. She smiled and began.

"One way, one day. I'll make you see.

Believe me, I don't like seeing you this way.

You face so sad, your heart so heavy.

Trust in me and I'll bring you with me.

To a place where we all live happily.

A place where you could do no wrong,

and a place where the raindrops don't mean

we need to stay inside." The music started slow; but after that last chunck of lyrics; it became upbeat and happy. She danced around like she did before; she even swore she saw Zuko start to smile. "One way, one day You will be happy.

Trust me, you will never cry again. Your heart will be light,

and your face will shine so bright. Make me a promise, swear to me,

that you won't wait untill then to smile." She grinned, walked through the crowed and grabbed Zuko's arm and pulled him with her back in center stage.

"Umm.."

"Come with me to a place where you'll feel like you belong."

"No." He told her the talking way. While she sang.

"Come and dance with me in the feild of red poppies."

"No."

"Come with me and kiss me."

"No- wait what?" She laughed and knew he was having fun.

"We'll have fun, we'll have a blast."

"How do you know?"

"You'll just have to trust me."

* * *

When Music night ended; and everyone went to bed; Zuko layed awake in his room, stairing up at the celine blankly. He did have fun; he wounderd if anyone noticed. He closed his eyes and the visions of what had previously happend flashed before him, like a movie, and he was the veiwer. The sound of Diamond's voice echoed in his ears, with contrast to his own speaking voice.

Diamond was sitting on her bed, taking a needle through a shirt Iroh had given her when she told him she needed some material for a project. Now, we all know that Diamond is happy with life; as apposed to Zuko who hates every day god makes him wake; but they do have one thing in common. They're stubborn. Diamond can't sew worth crap but she doesn't stop! by midnight, while the entire ship was sleeping, she had sewn a designe that was suppost to be a kitty, but it looked more like..that picture of Aang that Teo drew in the sky with smoke, but it didn't have an arrow on it's head and it had cat ears. She yawned. Tomarrow she'd surely finish it. She ruffled her red hair with her hand, and layed down. She rested her head on her pillow and sleep swept her like a wave in the ocean.

* * *

Zuko rose from his bed and streched, as he did every morning. He got out of bed, dressed and down to the breakfast room where his uncle was waiting for him with a big breakfast.

"Were is Diamond?" Iroh asked her. He shrugged.

"How should I know? Maybe she's still sleeping." He picked up some rice and put it in his mouth. A couple of minutes later; they saw Diamond walking happily down the hall, she looked as if she had just gotten out of a shower; because she was wearing one of Zuko's shirts which was too big for her, and her semi-long hair touched her shoulders. She looked completely diffrent without her bright blue lipstick and clown uniform. She was smiling as she poured herself a cup of tea and drank it. Her hands hidden in the long sleeves. "Why are you wearing my clothes?"

"Mine are in the wash." She told him point blank. "I couldn't very well come in here in a towl could I? so I borrowed a pair of your clothes."

"We should get you some clothes of your very own." Iroh had told her. Grinning. "Clothes to wear when your not performing. We'll look into it when we get to the next island with a market."

"We don't have time for such nonsence!" Zuko exploded. "Were already behind on capturing the avatar!" Diamond looked at him strangely, but then looked back at her cup of tea; and then looked at Zuko's.

"A tea leaf!" She giggled. He rose an eyebrow.

"What?" He growled.

"You have a floating tea leaf in your cup! It's good luck!"Zuko sipped at his tea and ate his breakfast; silence filling the room. But he heard Diamond whisper. "sorry.."

Diamond walked out onto the deck, and stood on the railing. She began to walk across; balancing herself, and seeing if she would fall or not.

"Whats wrong with you?" Zuko walked upto her and asked her randomly. She was startled and started to fall backwards; but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back up. She jumped off the railing and smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"You! Why are you so happy all the time? Havn't you ever felt mad? Or upset? Or lonely?" He was throwing his own emotions out there; hopeing she took them as examples. She nodded.

"I guess so. I mean, isn't it human nature to feel that way?." She flashed him a quick smile.

"You, don't know?" She shook her head.

"I don't remember anything about my past. All I remember is my name, Diamond." Zuko now knew why she was so perky all the time. She couldn't remember if anything put her through hell! She walked downstairs and told him to stay up on deck untill she said so. Of course; he didn't lison to her.

When he walked into his room; on his bed sat the poorly designed sewn on cat on a large red pillow. Prince Zuko was sewn into the corner, poorly but sewn in there anyway. Zuko didn't know what to make of it. The pillow looked over stuffed and buldgy. But he couldn't help but sit on his bed and poke it at first, and then try it out. It was soft; but alittle...overboard. But still; it was nice to lay his head on, even if the person who made it couldn't sew if her life depended on it.

**

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woooo I'm done! Thanks to my two reveiwers! I'm glad ya'll liked it! Sorry if Zuko was OOC here. It was hard to keep him in character, I suppose. The site that I used for Spell check isn't working so I'll leave this one unchecked.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar:The last airbender. Plain and simple**

Zuko was back to looking out the telescope for the avatar. But seeing nothing. Diamond sat on the deck playing Pai-cho with Iroh in the clothes she had borrowed from Zuko; and she was winning the game. She looked up at Zuko, and then back at Iroh.

"Is that all he does all day?" She asked; Iroh nodded.

"Sadly yes. He has his hopes up so high every day."

"What is he looking for?"

"The Avatar. Zuko needs him to get back into the fire nation." Iroh went on explaining Zuko's past, and then asked Diamond about her's.

"I um..don't have one."

"How could you not have a past?"

"well..I can't seem to remember having one. All I know is that I woke up in a hospital and they told me I had amnesia. After that I learned that my name was Diamond, before I had learned anything else; I got this job. All I knew how to do was entertain It must have been something from my past." Iroh lisoned while at the same time playing Pai-cho, and Diamond explained while playing Pai-cho.

* * *

He couldn't take it; the constant nothingness! It was making his blood boil that yet again, he was failing! He shot fire from his mouth into the sky and stormed off into his room. Diamond won the game and followed him. Iroh still dumbfounded that she had defeated him. Zuko stormed into his room and threw himself onto his bed. His chin resting on the pillow he had found in his room. 

"Hey." A soft voice cooed from the doorway. "Don't get upset. I'm sure that eventually-"

"What do you know!" He exploded. "Your nothing but an amnesia circus freak!" He tried to keep himself from shooting flames at her, but his anger was building up like a wall in a construction site. He got off his bed and pinned her to the hallway wall by her throat. "You think that everything is so _wonderful_! and your always so _cheerful_! But you don't even know if that's really you! You don't remember anything about yourself or about your past! You could think the entire world sucks, like I do! you could be a depressed puppet of life but no!" His anger was growing as he threw her against the floor. "You get out of the misery easily! You can't remember anything so you couldn't possibly know what kind of torment I'm going through!" He punched the wall near him, leaving a dent in it; which made her more afraid. "I hate everything about you!" As he set his hand on fire, ready to strike her across the face, and she closed her eyes, ready to receive the attack, Iroh had gotten infrount of her to defend her.

"Zuko!" He boomed. "What do you think your doing! Your attacking Diamond because she came to see if you were alright! You keep putting this poor girl through worrying about you! She was just trying to help!"

"Maybe she should mind her own god damned buisness!" He stormed away from them and slammed his door shut. Iroh snorted and looked back at Diamond, who was wiping a few tears from her eyes.

"Don't cry.." He told her softly. "He's just..upset.." She stood up and looked at Iroh, teary eyed.

"I shouldn't have taken this job..I could have made money elsewhere. I just seem to make him angry." Iroh shook his head; knowing that she was feeling like shit run over twice.

"Don't say that. He is always behaving like a child. I know your just trying to help him, but I suggest you stay out of his way for a while. Until he cools off." She nodded and walked to her room. Figuring that would be the best place to hide out until then. Iroh watched her sympathetically walk down to her room; and then, growing mad at Zuko; stormed into his room.

"What do you want uncle?" Zuko asked; annoyance in his voice.

"I want to talk to you about Diamond."

"Why are you always talking about that stow-away?" Zuko asked, sharp and angry.

"She isn't a _stow-away_ Zuko, I gave her a job here."

"Whatever." Zuko was laying on his bed, his arms crossed over his chest. "I don't want her on my ship uncle."

"why not? Are you mad because she cares about your well-being?"

"Because." Zuko had sharpness to his voice. "She gets out of remembering anything painful easily! While I'm forced to remember it!"

"You hate her because she has amnesia? She can't help that Zuko. She wants to be able to remember her past; she wants to be able to say she has one."

"so?" Iroh narrowed his eyes at his nephew.

"So, when you call her an amnesia circus freak; it hits her hard Zuko. She wants you to be able to understand; she wants to understand herself. You can't possibly imagine how hard it is for her, her entire life being one big blank up until recently. She can't remember anything about her family, about her friends, about her life. People could take advantage of a girl who's unable to remember. They could pretend to have been her fiance, but in reality is just someone who is a sick sex pervert. I want you to march down to her room and apologize to her immediately."

"No!" Zuko yelled at him. Feeling no remorse for her one bit.

"You _will _go down there and apologize to her!"

* * *

It wasn't like she couldn't hear them. But it made her feel worse rather than better. She rested her back against the wall; and heard them continue fighting. Tears poured down her face. She never before cared that she couldn't remember, but she had always wanted to. She'd have given up everything to just know who she had been before. She layed her head down on the bed and closed her eyes. Holding in cries and trying to sleep. Now she knows, she knows more than anything now, that it truly had been a mistake. She should never have come to this place; she should have just stayed in her island, wondering who she was. 

Zuko walked down to her room, being forced to apologize, but when he walked into the room, and found her sleeping; he couldn't easily apologize. He saw the hem of her blanket on her waist; so he walked quietly over to her and pulled it over her shoulders. A rush of guilt swept him, how could he have been so cruel? She really couldn't help it; and she _was_ just trying to help. She shifted in her sleep; he sighed and figured it would be best if he just left her to sleep; she looked peaceful in her sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar:The last airbender. Plain and simple**

Diamond could hear Iroh talking to her in her sleep. He was softly telling her they were going to the market; and that he would bring her back a gift. But she was half-asleep; so she figured it was all her dream.But when she woke up; and asked Iroh were Zuko was; he said he hasn't come back yet, and that he had stayed out later to search for the Avatar. She waited until noon before deciding to get dressed in her performing clothes considering the ones she was wearing needed to be washed; grasped her ring-shaped weapon and ran out into the forest to look for him.

* * *

She found him an hour later bound to a tree with chains. Jhao standing in the middle; grinning proudly. She saw Jhao and her head throbbed, and before her, flashed a burning island. So quick she could barely tell what happened. She saw a sword in Jhao's hand and it was pointed at Zuko's throat; Zuko might not like her at all, but what kind of person would she be if she let him die?

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" She yelled from her hiding place in the branches. "Welcome to the Diamondaire circus! Taking center ring is the star in your sky; the twinkle in your eye, the most undeniable, Diamond!" She jumped out of the trees; in a back-flippy kind of way; and landed on the ground. "Your worst nightmare." Jhao raised an eyebrow.

"I've seen strange entrances before; but that by far-"

"For her first performance, she'll demonstrate her amazing, flying disk!" Zuko blinked and watched. The soldiers attacked her in an ambush; she threw her disk and it made a round; chopping off most of their heads, blood, everywhere! Zuko gasped in amazement. That's when she started to...dance? The soldiers found it strange; so they all attacked to get the fight over with. She did a back flip, grabbed a solider's head between her legs, rolled into the center of her ring shaped weapon, and as she pulled the ring over her, a loud crack was heard and the soldier's head was turned all the way around.

Jhao was the only one left. She smirked. But before she could attack; she fell to her knees and held her head. _Oh god..no..not here..not now..._ Zuko called out to her, worried. She stood up, and sliced the chains which set him free. She stumbled, and passed out into his arms.

"A fainting spell.." He sighed, swinging her legs over his arm and her weapon in his hands, he retreated, unable to fight Jhao himself with Diamond being so..fainted.

* * *

He got back to the ship, Diamond's head resting under his chin, he couldn't tell if she was asleep; or still fainted.

"What happened?" Iroh asked, ontop of the deck.

"She had a fainting spell." Zuko got back on the ship and carried her back down to her room; where he timidly rested her on the mattrace and sat with her to make sure she was alright. She had saved his life after all. Honor dictates that he owes her his now.

* * *

The flashes kept coming; they flashed a bit longer each time. Her head throbbing and pounding harder and harder, like someone beating on a drum, the island had sand, so it was near the ocean, and the buildings looked like tree houses..but they were on fire. People running every which way to put the fires out before it engulphed the entire island. Diamond, with her ring shaped weapon faced Jhao, but that was all she could see. His lips were moving, but what he was saying couldn't be heard. It was like he was mouthing his words instead of having a voice. He brought up a fiery fist..

* * *

Diamond shot up in her bed before anything else happened, sweating. She never felt so afraid in her whole life. She swung her legs out of her bed and wobbled over to the door. She apparently was still weak from her fainting spell. She walked over to the bathroom and took a shower; feeling it nessisary.The water after it had hit her skin felt so good; she tried to convince herself it was just a nightmare. But why had Jhao triggered something? Ever since her fight with him, she hasn't felt quite herself. When she got out of the bath, she re-dressed and walked out. She thought of going back to her own room, but she was scared the dreams would come again. So, she walked down to the only room that she could think of at the moment.

"Zuko.." She softly whispered after opening the door. It was three in the morning and the sun wasn't even awake yet. "Zuko.."

"What..?" He asked tiredly; rising up from his slumber and looking at her.

"Can I- I mean- sleep with you?" She shut the door and walked over to him so he could see her better. "I had a nightmare and can't go back to sleep. Just tonight I promise." Zuko sighed and moved over, making room for her. "Thank you.." She layed down in his bed beside him. A few minutes passed before he started another conversation.

"What was your dream about?"

"Nothing..just a lot of these weird flashes. They kept showing a burning island, and Jhao saying something I couldn't understand."

"It's probably from your fainting spell." He told her softly. That was the first time she had been spoken too softly by Zuko. She liked it when he wasn't screaming at her for something that wasn't her fault. She felt his hands rest gently on her wet hair; and then him telling her she took a shower. She nodded.

_

* * *

"Zuko..." Zuko stood in the middle of a field of red poppies, looking around for who was calling his name. It was foggy and he couldn't see past the fog. There was some text at the bottom of his dream saying Diamond appeared with a smile on her face. She did look more elegant."are you happy?"' He nodded._

"Very." He grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. She tilted her head to the side, and just before they were about to kiss...

* * *

Zuko fell off his bed. Having rolled over too far and met with a plummiting fate. Diamond was already gone and he had to sit up by himself. He got up; rubbed his head irritatingly, and got dressed. He walked down the hall and into the bathroom, where he shed his clothes and got into a tub of hot water. He shut his eyes and had amillion thoughts going through his head at once. When he opened his eyes again; he saw Diamond washing his back. He got startled and unconsciously stood up.She cupped her hands over her eyes; he realized what he did and quickly got back under the water.She moved a finger to see if it was OK; and it was so she took her hands off her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I forgot to thank you for before." Zuko was still red; unbelieving that he stood up out of shock and she saw..well..you know. "I don't know why I fainted like that."

"Why did you come in here? couldn't you wait until I got out before thanking me?" He was still red. Diamond blinked.

"I suppose I could have." There was silence between them for a while; before he spoke again.

"Whatever; you saved me so I saved you. It was only fare."

"But you didn't have to. Tell me Zuko; about your past. I know you have one."

"I don't want to."

"Why?" He growled.

"I just don't want to OK?"

"OK." She told him quickly. "Was there a girl you liked?"

"Sort of." He sighed. "My father engaged me to her. I liked her; but she had an accident and I heard she died. Doesn't really matter; she probably wouldn't have liked me anyway."

"Don't talk like that." She snapped. "I bet you can be sweet if you want to be. Your good looking too. I bet a lot of girls would like you!" He looked at her for a minute; and then asked if she might. She blushed. He realized how it sounded.

"I didn't mean it like that!" He stood up again; she reacted the same way as before; and so did he. They were so awkward.

**

* * *

about damn time I updated! I got that stand up idea from Ranma. It happened to Ryoga once. :D**


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